The Heroes of Ferelden
by Mikoru
Summary: The Blight is coming and the Darkspawn is invading Ferelden. A civil war is ready to burst. The safeness of everyone lies in the hands of the last Grey Wardens...
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

 _In times of misfortune, when all seems lost, a hero is always born for bringing hope to the people. Tales tell us this. The tales are wrong, because the heroes not born, but rather are shaped by events. And to make this happen, they first must be nominated and pushed along the right path._

 _Always remember: a hero is never so for his own choice. Others create him, and he can only resign to the fate which was imposed to him, because it determines the fate of all._

 _No one can say what the future holds. Not even the magic is able to give an answer._

 _That above us there is the blue sky or the leafy vault of a forest or the massive stone, the paths of all go into and intertwine on the infinite chessboard of fate..._


	2. Chapter 01

Hi!

So, I'm Italian and I've never studied English in school; I learned as an autodidact, so to speak, and for the translation of my fanfiction I helped myself with translators and dictionaries online. I hope not to have made too many mistakes, but I had not a beta-reader English to ask for help.  
Actually, translate alone is a great effort, woah. I hope to continue to do it.

Anyway, please have mercy on me and tell me what I did wrong, 'cause I have certainly wrong about something.  
Bye!

* * *

 _ **Chapter 01 – An end. A beginning.**_

 _«It's better not to touch it, Tamlen.»_

 _«What do you want to happen?»_

 _«I don't know, but I don't like it. Come away, Tam!»_

 _«I don't... I cannot move myself away! What...?»_

 _Then, everything disappeared in a blinding flash of light..._

Luniel suddenly opened her eyes, founding herself sitting without even realizing it; her breathing was laboured, her heart was thudding in the chest. She put a hand over there, as if she feared that it could get out. Ascher, lying at her side, lifted her face and looked at her with a slight whimper. He was the only link with her old life. She moved her hand on the wolf's big gray-head, and slowly, with an effort that seemed huge, she was able to normalize breathing and heartbeat.

The same dream. She had the same dream from one week. No, she could not call it a dream, nor nightmare. What tormented her every damn night, every damn time she closed her eyes, it was the horrible reality. If it was only a nightmare it would not be so grievous... If it had been a nightmare, Tamlen would still be alive...

The tears bit into the eyes' corner, she bit her lower lip. Ascher, always sensitive to her moods, rubbed his wet nose against her cheek in a comforting gesture.

«You woke up, finally. You're a real sleepyhead.»

Luniel jumped and turned quickly, staring wide-eyed at man sitting at short distance; he was extinguishing the last fire's embers and seemed to pay no attention to the young elven girl which now was shaking. Anger, pain... even she could not understand what was the real reason, currently. She clenched her mouth with force, tightening lips, and she turned to the other side, hugging the Ascher's neck and staring her gaze on the trees bordering the path.

«Loquacity, I see, is always the same.»

Duncan's deep and quiet voice made the irony little more than a bland statement. Since the Grey Warden had taken her away with him, in fact, Luniel had not uttered a single syllable, closing herself in a silence so obstinate as rancorous, more eloquent than a thousand words. The man seemed to care nothing for this. And even if during the first days he had hardly opened his mouth, now he acted as if everything was perfectly normal. He spoke to her also quite often, knowing of not having to wait for a reply. For the most of time, he reported news about the places to which they were going, or they were going through, mere logistic news; and since she seemed to lose interest also meteorological factors, Duncan informed her if he thought that the time would remain stable or if it was liable to rain, in which case he told her if there was some refuge. Definitely, he seemed to simply fill the silence. Sometimes he narrated anecdotes about the Grey Wardens or something about the history and mission of the Order.

He had never mentioned, however, to what had happened just a week before.

Luniel didn't know whether to be grateful or not, because she didn't understand if it was kindness or simple indifference. After all, what was she to the Grey Warden? Nothing more than a rookie; recalcitrant and enlisted by force, furthermore. What he had to her? Nothing. And nothing she had to him except rancor, she thought.

When she heard his footsteps approaching and realized that he was crouching in front of her, Luniel glanced at him out of the corner of the eye, refusing to look at him openly.

«Neither anger nor rancor will be good for you, child of the Dalish. They'll not change your destiny, they'll not bring back your friend.» There was compassion in the Warden's voice, and not even the hostile wall that she had raised could prevent her from taking it. «I understand your feelings, though you cannot believe it. I understand them. I really wish he had not come to this...» There was sadness too, the same one that she had felt the first time he had spoken.

" _I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."_

He sounded honest and this persuaded her to look at Duncan. What she read in his dark eyes prompted her to indulge in a desperate cry. There was a fierce determination, a light that revealed a fortitude worthy of respect. But there was also a deep melancholy... Those of the Warden were the eyes of someone who had seen too much horror for not to be touched. The eyes of a man who had fought and killed, and yet was able to feel whith and share the pain of others with plain spontaneity.

«You can cry if you want», he told her. «There's no shame in showing tears.»

And Luniel cried. «I... I keep dreaming of him», she wept, leaving her grip on the wolf, who rubbed again his nose against her cheek. She put her hand on the ironbark bracelet around her right wrist. «Tamlen... and that mirror...» She sniffed, rubbing her eyes with hand. «If only I had stopped him... if I had insisted more... now he would still be alive... and I not... I not...» She would not have suffered that way and she would not see her future crumble like a dry leaf. «It's... it's hurt so much...», she breathed out, then her voice broke in a sob so hard that she thought it could strangle her; she leaned forward, holding herself in the arms; the fingers sank into the skin and she felt the bone's hardness against her fingertips.

Duncan's hand rested on her shoulder and squeezed gently. Luniel hesitated. On the one hand, she wanted to escape from the contact with him, firmly tied to her Dalish beliefs… but on the other hand, she longed for the comfort that she had not been able to receive from her clan, so quickly she was forced to leave it. And in the Grey Warden there was something which mitigated the ancient dislike she felt towards humans. For the first time in forever, she wondered if that hostility was justified, but dismissed the doubt in a few moments; humans had chased her people, they had been bribed them with their close proximity, they had enslaved and taken them to ruin... humans had deprived her of a real family. _"We are the Dalish: keepers of the lost lore, walkers of the lonely path."_ Luniel mentally recited the Oath of the Dales. _"We are the last of the Elvhenan, and never again shall we submit."_ She pulled away from the Duncan's grasp and stood up, followed by the wolf. «It's better to set off again. There's still a long way, right?»

The Warden sighed and stood up in turn. «Yes. If you want to eat something...»

«I'm not hungry, we can start immediately.»

«Then gather your things.»

They had restarted the journey by about three hours. They were passing through an area of dense woodbrush, and Ascher took the opportunity to wander among the trees, while the elf and human were advancing on a rough track trail; he would have found them with no difficulty.

Since when they set out again, neither of them had said a word, until Luniel decided to break the silence. «What place is where we're going?»

Duncan preceded her a few steps and turned to throw her a fleeting glance. If he was surprised, he hid it well. «Ostagar. It is now in ruins, but in the past was the most important Imperium's fortress to the south of the Waking Sea. There, King Cailan Theirin is gathering his army, and there are also the Grey Wardens. There may be other recruits, I hope you can make friends.»

Luniel replied with a disdainful grunt. «What will we do once we are there?»

«The Wardens shall join the army in order to counter the advance of the darkspawn.» Duncan was silent for a moment, looking a bit around, then spoke again. «And you will undergo the Joining. Together with the other recruits, if any are there.»

«Joining? What's that?»

«You'll know when the time comes.»

Luniel frowned. «Why not now?» said annoyed.

Duncan sighed, then answered with patience: «The rite is secret, is not allowed to talk about it. You will know everything in due time. For now, it suffice to say that is what will give you a hope of safeness.»

The girl suppressed a snort. Despite the gentle tone of voice, something in the choice of words by the Warden had a chill run down her spine, but she knew very well that any attempt to get an answer would have fallen on deaf ears. She gave up at the start to investigate, resigning herself to waiting. After all, she said to herself, what should she worry? Nothing could be worse than that to which she was condemned.

As if to remind her situation, a violent sense of unease pervaded her; vertigo grabbed her and Luniel found herself on her knees, gasping for breath and with the feeling of having to vomit at any moment. Immediately Duncan was beside her.

«Tell me what you feel.»

She shook her head and let out a groan. «I do not know! It's like something wears out from inside me... I can feel it crawling in my veins...»

The Warden put his arm around her shoulders and held her. «Endure. It will pass in a few minutes.»

«Is this...? Tamlen suffered this? He... he died so?» she asked through clenched teeth.

«Luniel, not–»

«Tell me! I want to know.»

Duncan sighed and admitted: «Yes, he suffered your same sufferings. He would can not be dead yet, but certainly the corruption of the Darkspawn made him a creature devoid of any sense... We call them Ghoul. That's what happens to those who are corrupt: in just a few weeks loses his reason, becomes aggressive... We believe that eventually disappears into the depths of the earth, probably to die.»

She opened her eyes wide. «Even I...»

«No», he hastened to reassure her. «The magic of Marethari has slowed down considerably the course of corruption in your blood; it would take much more than weeks to make you lose yourself. Don't be afraid, my child. You don't risk to change into a Ghoul.»

She bit her lip and nodded, then lowered her head. «But, Tamlen...»

Duncan took her hand and squeezed it gently. «Listen, Luniel», he began in a firm voice. «What happened to your friend is horrible, and what you're suffering is not far behind. I know you're hurting for him, but you have to get it over. Above all, you have to stop to hold yourself guilty.» He released her hand and took her chin, he lifted up her face and looked at her straight in the eye. «It's not your fault. You tried to stop him, so you don't have to carry the burden of a misfortune that was not related to you. You yourself are saved only by accident.»

Since the unease was over, Duncan stopped to hold her against him and knelt in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. «I'm not saying that you should forget or pretend didn't happen, it would be foolish. What I would want is that you welcome this opportunity to live that you have been granted. Weep for your friend, but don't berate yourself for having survived. You've lost a lot of things, I know, but you'll can find others.»

Luniel tried to draw strength from the grip of the Warden, from his eyes, but the tears won out over her and began to flow without restraint. «I will try», she murmured brokenly.

Duncan had put down her forehead on his shoulder, and hugged her fatherly, giving short caresses on the head. «Be strong, little girl», he whispered. «Be strong.»

This time Luniel not escaped and vented long. As soon as she thought she was calming down, something returned to make her cry uncontrollably, while suddenly the memories crossed her mind: moments of her childhood with Tamlen, the friend's voice who mocked her affectionately, old thoughts and assumptions made together about the future now lost, the cursed mirror that he had touched...

When Luniel finally ran out of tears, almost half an hour later, she had exhausted the forces by dint of tears. Her eyes were burning, her throat ached and barely she was able to formulate a «Sorry...»

«Don't apologize for anything», said Duncan. While she sat, he stood up. «So, I think we can stop for lunch. We'll resume the march later.»

Luniel did not dare to complain that they could get back on the road and stop later for the meal; she felt weak as after a long fever, and it would be foolish to deny it, thus silenced her pride. She staid seated watching the Warden opening the backpack and retrieving the supplies for a quick and frugal lunch: cheese, a bit of dried meat and some cracker.

«It will be appropriate to renew the provisions as soon as possible», said the man, almost to himself. «As soon as we arrive in a village...»

«If you wish», she said, embarrassed, «I can go hunting. Not now, of course», she added hastily. «Maybe later... or tomorrow... I could try.»

Duncan reserved to her a look of evident amazement and Luniel looked away, biting her lip. She was not clear why she had made that offer. However, she felt she had to somehow repay the kindness and patience that the Grey Warden had toward her. Although he was a _shemlen_.

«It's a great idea», he approved. She returned to at him, stretching a shy smile which widened a little noticing the smile of Duncan. «Later, then, you'll provide for procure something for dinner tonight.»

«Yes!» uttered the elf, trying to sound firm. It would have been difficult, she knew, because the mere thought made her remember her hunts with Tamlen, but she also knew that Duncan was right: she had to go forward. And to do so, she would have to learn to accept the absence of Tamlen, and learn to face by herself what until then had always done with the friend of a lifetime.

The sun had gone down; on the horizon, only a wide strip of still inflamed sky revealed that the sunset had just happened. Luniel returned her gaze on the small crackling bonfire and on the browning meat, speared on a skewer improvised with a long thin branch and green enough not to burn. Her hunting had been successful, despite the inevitable moments of confusion due to the memories, and she went back to Duncan with a well-fed hare. She had skinned the prey, then the Warden had cooked it, flavoring it with some herbs which Luniel had the good fortune to find. Now the air rose a pleasant aroma, which was putting her mouth.

Ascher, crouched beside her, was resting quietly, and was full, as he had done to get his dinner by himself.

When Duncan broke a leg from the hare and handed it to her, she grabbed it with some impatience, blowing on it to cool it down a little. Then she gave the first bite and moaned approval for good flavor, devoting himself fully to rest. She had almost finished the second portion of meat when she looked at Duncan and saw him watching the bush bordering the path on the opposite side of them. He seemed quite thoughtful.

«Something wrong?» she asked, looking in the same direction.

The man turned toward her. «No, quiet. Is it still alright for now.»

«For now?»

«Finish your dinner and stay alert.» Duncan said no more.

The Warden would not have lied to her giving false reassurances, so she had a reasonable certainty of not having to worry. Mildly alarmed, therefore, Luniel continued to eat while holding the ears strained to catch the slightest suspicious noise and making sure the weapons were at hand.

They had finished dinner from a few minutes when Duncan made to her a sign with his head toward the bow. Nodding, Luniel put the quiver over the shoulder, took her bow and nocked an arrow. The wolf was on his feet, fangs bared and a low growl vibrating in his throat. A few moments later, from the bush four darkspawn emerged, which pounced on them. Ascher sprang forward. Luniel shot the arrow at the closest, hitting him in the shoulder and putting him out of balance; at the same time, Duncan swooped on him with weapons drawn. Luniel was already intent to target another enemy; so, she just caught out the corner of the eye the flashing blade wich caught the reflection of flames with every warrior's movement.

The Dalish took aim and shot an arrow which reached the knee of the second darkspawn, probably shattering the kneecap – if it the backbone of those monsters were the same as elves and humans – and making it crumble to the ground. Duncan's long dagger stabbed him in the back, planting it on the ground.

The third darkspawn had just fallen under Ascher's claws.

Luniel, ready to aim against the last enemy left, stopped to see the Warden who deflected the blow with the dagger remained, dismissed it with a kick to the abdomen and recovered the other weapon from the corpse with a sequence of very fast movements. Incredibly fast, for a _shemlen_. Then Duncan jumped against the darkspawn, plunged the blade into his chest and then slashed his throat, still using both weapons.

The elf realized that she was open-mouthed and closed it quickly, just before the man turned around toward her. Splashes of blood mottled him here and there, but he seemed to pay no attention to it. Ascher trotted alongside him.

«There were only these, but maybe it's better not to stop here for the night», Duncan considered.

«I'm not tired and I feel fine», she replied immediately.

«Excellent», nodded the Warden. Sheathed sword and dagger, he retrieved his own backpack and walked to the fire to shut it; it was small, Duncan would take a few minutes.

Meanwhile, Luniel checked that none of their things remained around, retrieved the backpack and weapons, and paused to look at the darkspawn. The first time she had seen those monsters, when she was back in those damned ruins, she was horrified; the same horror was on the blanched faces of Merrill and Fenarel, which had accompanied her.

«I'll have to explain well the differences between the different types of darkspawn» said Duncan, behind her. When she turned toward him, he went on: «The darkspawn are not all the same, it'll be useful for you to know as much information about them. Now let's get in travel.»

They went back on the path and, in the nocturnal dim light, it was Luniel to lead the way with Ascher, since thanks to her elven senses could see almost like a day, and then check where they put their feet. On the high-hills trails you could never know what was the level of instability, Duncan had told her, and walk them at night could be risky. The silence was such that one word would be heard distinctly a lot of distance, so they walked without speaking until they came near a village on the slopes of the hills.

They went in the alleys between the houses in sleep, but did not find any inn, so the Grey Warden proposed to spend the night in the old abandoned barn which had seen outside the town. Luniel was happy to be able to avoid the company of other humans and not having to leave the wolf, so she gladly assented and followed Duncan to the barn. Inside there, was still some pile of straw, great for getting them to bed.

Luniel reached one of pile and put her stuff nearby, then took the mantle folded to use as a pillow. As always when she slept in the open, or nearly so, she kept wearing leather armor, which was not so uncomfortable to keep her from sleeping, and lay down without a word. As usual, Ascher crouched down next to her and his wild smell mingled with that of hay and dust that hung in there. She gently rubbed his nose. The wolf had always slept with her ever since, still a puppy, she had found him and taken with her; in those days, more than ever, the elf was happy to have alongside the faithful animal. Despite being a constant reminder of what she had lost, however, gave her comfort as she was enormously fond of him.

After a few minutes, even when Duncan was lying on his bed, she asked him: «Can I ask you something?»

«Sure.»

«How did you notice those darkspawn?»

«It's one of the ability of us Grey Wardens», the man explained. «We can sense the darkspawn, which allows us to not be caught by surprise.»

«Convenient», she said. «So we can sleep peacefully?»

«I dare say so.» Duncan settled back on the straw. He, too, had kept the armor, so Luniel considered that he was to be used to adapt to the worst conditions, since its metal armor was much more uncomfortable. «Come on, now think of rest», the man added. «We're still waiting for several days' march, tomorrow we'll have to get up early.»

As proposed by Duncan, the next day they awoke at the first light of the sun. Discreetly, without being seen, they left the barn which had given them shelter and they turned at a good pace; it would have required at least another four days to reach their destination.

Quite independently of her will, Luniel found herself much more sympathetic to chat. It was a way like another to keep despair in check, as entrenched in the silence could not be of help; without anything to distract herself, her thoughts inevitably returned to Tamlen... The loss of her friend had devastated her and the only system that had not crumble was just occupy her mind as much as possible, at least until the time had begun to heal the wound.

So, mindful of what had mentioned the night of the attack, at some point Luniel asked Duncan explanations about the Darkspawn, and in that way also discovered the reason why the man was in the forest. Because he firmly believed that it would prepare a new Blight, the Warde had decided to seek the support of the other two races, elves and dwarves; he had sent two other Wardens in Orzammar – the dwarven homeland – as he had gone into the Brecilian Forest, where most of the Dalish was settled. Although after some insistence, the man was able to get the support of one of the most numerous clans and, above all, with the highest number of warriors. Their Keeper, Zathrian, had assured him that he would try to contact the other clans to ask for further help. And on the way back, by pure chance, Duncan had fallen in Luniel.

Those last days, therefore, spent between stories and explanations from the Guardian, hunting by Luniel, occasional darkspawn aggression and long periods when she came back to melancholy and silence.

It was during one of those moments, on a gray afternoon, she heard Duncan exclaim: «We've arrived! Here Ostagar!»


End file.
